Excavating-machine



C. A. DOUD.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3, 1919. 1 391 5 320 Patentedfiept. 24 m1.

3 SHEETSSHEET i.

C. A. DOUD.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1919.

. 1,532. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. A. DOUD.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATlON FILED OCT. 3. 1919.

Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3. 27

(7/1 fiazzd PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. DOUD, OF UNDERWOOD, WYOMING.

nxcava'rmo-macnrmi.

Specification of-Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 20, 1921.

Application filed October 3, 1919. Serial No. 328,108.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Dom), a citizen of the United States, residing at Underwood, in the county of Laramie and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Excavatin -Machine, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements in excavating machines,and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character capable of cutting or operating simultaneously at two independent locations and elevating the earth thus displaced and depositing it in a sirigle receptacle or receiver.

nother object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including a,

receptacle for the displaced and elevated earth swingingly mounted to enable it to be tilted to discharge the contents.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this character associated with a tractor, preferably of the caterpillar form, so that the machine after receiving its load can be moved to any distance for discharging the same.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a rea elevation of the upper portion of one of t e elevator devices.

Fig. 3 is a section on th line 3-3 of 9 is a plan view. Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged detail views, illustratin the construction and operation of the locking and tripping mechanism for the tilting earth receptacle.

I Fig. 12.is an end view'of the parts arranged as in Fig. 10 with the dumping rece tacle in section.

he improved apparatus is preferably mounted upon the frame of a tractor of the catterpillar form, thesupporting frame of the tractor including spaced side members 10-11 arranged to support the traveling tracks or treads, indicated conventionally and upwardly. The members 15 and the inner members16 are provided with bearings 19 to support the inner ends of shafts 17.

I While the upper ends of the outer members 16 and'the bracket members 18 are likewise provided with bearings 20 to support the outer ends of the same shafts.

Rising from the frame members 10-11 at their forward ends are other uprights 21, the latter connected by their upper ends by brace members 22 to the uprlghts 16 and brackets 18.

Obliquely directed braces 23 are also arranged between a centering bracket 24 and the uprights 15 and 21, the bracket being rigidly attached to the adjacent, portion of themembers 11.

The members 15-16 and 21 together with the brackets 18 and braces 22 and 23 form a skeleton frame for supporting the excavating and elevating mechanism and the receptacle for the excavated and elevated material.

The excavator portions of the improved apparatus are arranged to operate exter- Mounted upon the forward ends of the inner frame members 10 are standard frames 30 each carrying a stub shaft 31 which supports an internal gear wheel 32. The gear is formed with oppositely disposed vacant or toothless spaces 33 as shown in Fig. 4. Suitably supported for rotation upon the standards 30 is a transverse shaft 34 carrying pinions 35 engagable with the gears of the wheel 32.

The shaft 34 extends entirely across the framework and is adapted to be constantly rotated from the motor of the tractor, for instance by a longitudinal shaft 36 and bevel gears 37.

When the member 32 is set with its vacant spaces 33 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the pinions 35 will run as idlers, as will be obvious.

Mounted upon the wheel 32 intermediate the vacant spaces 33 are spring controlled lock bolts 38. extending normally beyond the line of the rim of the wheel 32 and offset at their outer ends to en age alternately in notches or seats in the'*a jacent face of the frame member 10, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The lock bolt which for the time being is downward engages in the seat in the frame member, while the other bolt is directed upwardly and is inoperative. Projecting from the face of each of the wheels 32 is a crank pin 39, and rotatably coupled to each crank pin is a connecting rod or strap 40 forked, and coupled respectively to the scrapers or rooters 25.

When the wheels 32 are arranged with V the "crank pins in their downward positions the scraper members 25 will be held in their downward or operative positions as shown in Fig. 1. When thus arranged the adjacent lock bolt 38 will be engaged in the seat in the member 10 and lock the scraper or rooter in its downward or o rative osit1on and the pinions 35 opposite one o the vacant spaces 33 and thus running idle.

When the wheels 32 are arranged with their crank ins in upper position, the scrapers and t eir attachments will be elevated above the'ground or disposed in inoperative position with the other lock bolt 38 in the seat in the frame and the pinions 35 running idle in the other vacant spaces. cans are provided for releasing the lock bolts 38 and rotating the wheel 32 to suflitated to a suflicient extent to reverse the positions of the lock bolts. An approved means for accomplishing this result consists of a pull rod 41 slidably supported upon the frame members 10, one at each side, and each rod formed with an inclined face 42 and an upwardly directed terminal lip 43.

Each rod is provided with a suitable operative lever 44 provided with a pull spring 45to maintain the rods yieldably in the forward positions.

The rods 41 are so arran ed that the inclined faces 42 pass beneat the lock bolt which for the time being is downward and elevates it out of the recess in the frame 10 and the lip 43 en ages the bolt and rotates the wheel to a su cient extent to cause the adjacent toothed portions to be! engaged with the constantly revolving pinion 35 and rotate the wheel one half a revolution or until the other lock bolts engages in the recess in the frame and the other vacant s aces are disposed opposite the pinions. In

t e meantime the rods are returned by the springs 45 to the former positions out of the way of the downwardly moving bolt.

Thus the scrapers maybe quickly disosed in operative or inoperatlve position y merely ulling the levers 44 rearwardly and then re easing them. By arranging one frame members 16, is a drum 50. Each of the chain wheels and the drums are formed with a plurality of flat faces, referably six for each wheel and drum, and the links of the chains which operate around the wheels and drums, represented conventionally at.

51, correspond in length to the flat faces of the drums and wheels.

Attached to each alternate oppositepair of the links 51, is a bucket 52, each bucket comprising a closed outer wall or bottom, closed side portions and one closed end, leaving the other end and the remaining wall open.

The buckets are attached to the links 51 n with their open sides inwardly, or next to the space between the chains.

Attached to the -members 16 is a sheet metal plate 53 against which the open sides of the buckets operate at the u wardly moving portions of the chains,-t e plate thus serving as a closure to all of the buckets 'during their upward orloaded movement.

The shaft 47 is rotated by any suitable power, for instance the motor which drives the tractor, and transmits its motion to the chains and buckets in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

The flat faces of the drums 50 correspond in length to the links 51 of the chains, consequently correspond to the open sides of the buckets, so that as the chains of buckets pass around the drums, the flat faces of the drums consecutively form closures for the open inner sides of the buckets to prevent the earth from escaping.

The members 25 are of solid construction, to withstand the severe strains to whichthey willbe subjected and located upon the inclined upper face of each is a guide chute for the excavating material each formed in two portions 54 and 55 hingedly united at 56. The portion 54 of the chute is attached to the scraper or rooter part 25 while the portion 55 is movably pivoted at 57 to the frame members 11, the pivot 57 working in a slot as shown in Fig. 1, to provide the necessary change of position when the member 25 is adjusted b the action of the wheels 32 before describe At its discharge end the bottom of the portion 55 of the chute is extended and curved, downwardly as shown at 58 to prevent the elevation buckets from striking the chute as hereafter ex lained.

Attached to the framework of t e,tractor in any suitable manner are segmental tracks 59, the centers of the segments being indicated at 60 in the brackets'24. The tracks 59 are each formed in two parts in spaced relation.

Mounted to swing upon the centering members 60 are standards or bars 61, each bar extending between the spaced members of the segmental tracks and each carrying a bearing roller 62 traveling upon one portlon of the tracks.

Disposed between the'chains ofbuckets is a receptacle, represented as a whole at 63 for the excavated and elevated material,-the receptacle being rigidly connected as shown at 64 to the standards 61 and swinging therewith upon the centering member 60 into. the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the load is to be discharged as'a-hereafter explained.

The receptacle is closed at the bottom sides and one end and open at the other end. Pivoted at 65'to the upper ends of the members 21 is a closure 66 for the open end of the receptacle 63 when the latter is in level or load receiving position.

Pivoted at 67 to the receptacle 63 and at 68 to the swinging closure 63 are links or bars 69.

Extending through the frame members 15 is a rock shaft or rod, 70 having an operating handle 71.

Attached to the shaft 70 at one or more points are hooks 72, engaging, when the receptacle is in horizontal or load receiving position, over stop pins 73 on the reof the load willbe disposed forwardly of the standards. Thus the receptacle is rendered self-tilting when the catch devices 72 are disconnected from the pins 73, as hereafter explained.

Pivotally attached at one end at 74 to one or both of the segmentaltracks 59 is a locking member formed in two parts 75 and 76 hingedly united at 77. The free end of the shorter part 76 is recessed as shown at 78 to receive a stop pin 79 extending from the member 63.

A spring 80 is arranged to exert its force to hold the jointed member 75 and 76 yieldably in outward position with its free end 76 normally in advance of the outer face of the track and into the path of the pin 79. Thus when the receptacle 63 is moved into dumping position, as shown by dotted lines in Fi 1 and in full lines in Fig. 11, the pin 79 wi 1 pass over the members 7576 and depress the latter against the resistance of the spring SO-and when the pin 79 has been moved beyond the recessed end 78 of the lock device, the reaction of the spring 80- will restore the lock lever to its outward position with the recessed end 78 extending again into the path of the pin 79 and thus preventing the return movement of the rece tacle.

*The complete dumping of t e load is thus insured.

Located between the spaced members which form each of the segmental tracks 59 is a buffer spring 81 to receive the impact of the members 60 when the receptacle 63 is moved into dumping. position and prevent unnecessaryjarring or concussions.

Pivoted at 82 to the adjacent member 59 is .a bellcrank lever 83 one arm of latter being connected to member 7576 preferably at itsjoint 77 by a link 84 and the other arm supplied with a pull rod or cable 85 leading to a point convenient to the operator.

A pull cable 86 is attached relatively to one of the members 61, preferably through the medium of a segmental bracket 87, and leads at one end of a relatively powerful pull spring 88, the latter being attached at the other end a standard 89 supported on to the framework of the machine.

The major portion of the load of the receptacle being disposed toward the open or discharge end, causes the receptacle to be automatically moved intodischarging; position when the catch devices 72 are released and against the resistance of the spring 88 which is strong enough to pull theempty With an apparatus thus constructed the' operation is as follows: The members 32 are operated to elevate thediggers 25 above the surface of the ground and the machine moved to the locality where the excavation is to be made.

The members 25 are then lowered into operative position and the machine moved forwardly causing the rooters or plows 25 to exca'vate or form furrows at each side.

The excavated or loosened earth is forced over the chutes 54--55 and into the buckets 52 as they pass around the drums 50, the

faces of the drums and the plate 53 holding the earth within the buckets as they pass upwardly and dumping their loads consecutively into the chutes 90 and thence into the receptacle 63 from each side.

The machine thus cuts two furrows or ex cavations simultaneously. I

When the receptacle is full, the operator stops the machine, elevates the excavator devices 25 above the ground by actuating the members 32 as before described, and moves the machine to the place where the load is to be discharged. The operator then releases the catch devices 72 by actuating the handle 71, when the 'preponderating weight of the load inadvance of the centering member will cause the receptacle to automatically move toward discharging position. As the receptacle thus starts to move, the links 69 will swing the closure 66 upon its pivot into open position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and permit the load to pass from the receptacle.

As the receptacle moves into the dischar ing position the pin 79 passes over the loc ing device 75-7 6 and is engaged in the recess 78 and its return prevented by the reaction of the springs 80,- until manually released by the operator actuating the releasing device 83-84 through the pull rod or cable 85. p

The receptacle 63 is thus held in 0 en or discharging position for a sufficient ength of time to permit all the contents of the receptacle to flow therefrom'and preventing the relatively powerful springs 88 from prematurely returning a partly discharged receptacle to load receiving position. I

catch devices 72, thus ocking the receptacle into load receiving position, as before.

The receptacle when returned to load receiving position causes the reverse action of the links 69. and returns the closure 66 to its former position.

The machine is then returned to the place where the excavating is being accomplished and the excavatin operation continued until the receptacle is again loaded.

The apparatus can be constructed of any suitable material or of any required capacity, and adapted without material structural change to tractors of various forms.

The motor, for instance a gasolene motor, will be located upon the frame between the chain belts -or tread devices 12 and coupled by suitable devices to operate the various moving parts, but the motor and its connections are not shown, as they form no part of the present invention.

The improved apparatus is designed more particularly for the use in grading or road making operations, but may be adapted for other excavating purposes 1f desired, and it is not desired to limit the invention to any specific form of grading or excavating.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In an apparatus of the class described. a frame adapted to support excavating and elevating devices, standards swinging upon said frame, a receptacle open at one end and attached to said standards in position to receive the material from said elevating device, the major portion of the receptacle being disposed between its support and open end, a closure for the open end of the receptacle and swingingly mounted upon said frame, means for swinging said closure into open position when the receptacle moves into dlscharging position, means applied to said standards for automatically returning. the receptacle to receiving position when discharged, and a catch device operating to hold said receptacle in load receiving position.

2. In an apparatus of the class described,

a frame adapted to support excavating and elevating devices, centering devices carried by said frame, a receptacle, bars swinging upon said centering devices and attached to said receptacle nearer one end than the other, segmental tracks carried by-said frame, bearing rollers carried by said receptacle and operatin on said tracks, a spring connected to. said bars and operating to hold the receptacle .in load receiving position, and a catch device operating hold said receptacle in load receivmg position, said receptacle adapted to be moved into discharging position against the resistance of spring by the gravity of its no load when the catch is released, and returned to load receiving position by the reaction of the s ring when discharged.

3-. an an apparatus of the class described, a receptacle adapted to receive excavated material and mounted to swing with the minor portion of the load at one side of its center of motion, yieldable means operating to hold the receptacle, when empty, in load receiving position, and releasable means operating to hold the receptacle in load receiving position against the force exerted by the gravity of the load, whereby the loaded receptacle will be moved into discharging position by the gravity of its load against the resistance of the yleldable means when the releasable means is" operated, and returned when discharged to load receiving position by the reaction of the yieldable means.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame adapted t support excavating and elevating devices, centering devices carried by said frame, a receptacle, bars swinging upon said centering devices and attached to said receptacle nearer one end than the other, a spring connected to said bars and operating to hold the receptacle in load receiving osition, and a catch device operating to .old said receptacle in load receiving position, said receptacle adapted to be moved into discharging position against the resistance of the spring by the gravity of its load when the catch is released, and returned to load receiving position by the reaction of the spring when discharged.

5. "In an apparatus of the class described,

ceiving positlon, releasable means operating to hold the receptacle in load receiving position against the force exerted by the gravity of the load, and releasable means for locking said receptacle in discharging position,

whereby the loaded receptacle will be moved 1 into discharging osition by the gravity of its load against tlie resistance of the yleldable means when the-first mentioned releasable means is operated and locked in position by the last mentioned releasable means.

6. -In an apparatus of the'class described, a receptacle adapted to receive excavated material and mounted to swing with the major portion thereof at one side of its center of motion, yieldable means operating to hold the receptacle, when empty, in load receiving position, releasable means operating to hold the receptacle in load receiving position against the force exerted by the gravity of the load, a locking bar pivoted at one end and extending at the other end into the path of the receptacle, means for yieldably supporting said locking bar in receptacle engaging position, means for releasing said looking bar, and means for actuating said first mentioned releasing means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

CHARLES A. DOUD. 

